|
 A STROLL through the grounds of the Penang Buddhist Association will yield many rewarding sights. The interior is ornately decorated with polished floor tiles, multi-tiered chandeliers and mother-of-pearl inlaid furnishing. However, the most prevalent feature of note is – the lotus flower. Its motifs are ubiquitous throughout the institution and rightly so because of the flowers poignant and symbolic roots in Buddhism.
Since ancient times the lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) has been a divine symbol in many Asian cultures and traditions. In the classical written and oral literature of many Asian cultures the lotus is present in figurative form, representing elegance, beauty, perfection, purity and grace. It is also often used in poems and songs as an allegory for ideal feminine attributes. Of interest to note is that most Asian deities are often associated in some manner with the lotus. However, in Buddhism as well as Hinduism, the lotus holds a very special and sacred place. The lotus is one of Buddhism's best recognised motifs that permeate Buddhist art and across all Buddhist cultures. Scrolling lotuses embellish Buddhist textiles, ceramics and architecture. In many Buddhist temples, lotus is burned in a powdered form as ceremonial incense. It is one of the eight symbols of good fortune that represent the offerings made by the gods to Shakyamuni Buddha immediately after he gained enlightenment. Significantly, the colour of the lotus too has an important bearing on the symbology associated with it. The Confucian scholar Zhou Dunyi once wrote, "I love the lotus because while growing from mud, it is unstained." This quote best exemplifies the lotus’ representation in Buddhism, as the lotus flower represent the "primordial purity" of body, speech, and mind, as while rooted in the mud, its flowers blossom on long stalks as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire into the beauty and clarity of enlightenment. It is also symbolic of detachment as drops of water easily slide off its petals. According to legend, Gautama Buddha was born with the ability to walk and everywhere he stepped, lotus flowers bloomed. References
Click through pictures for slideshow.
|
